Marking another milestone in the emerald mine’s endeavour to demonstrate excellence in safety, quality assurance and environmental protection, Kagem Mining Ltd has become officially certified with the ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System), ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) and ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System).
Lufwanyama District Commissioner Justin Mwalikwa commended the mine, saying: “As Government we are very happy with the efforts that Kagem is continually making in improving their operations and their operational environment. Government is a primary stakeholder in Kagem by virtue of owning 25% shares through the Industrial Development Cooperation (IDC), therefore, as partners, it gives us great pleasure to see the mine make great strides in meeting international standards in mining operations.”
The certification signifies that Kagem has met the internationally prescribed standards on the health and safety of its employees, protecting the environment and providing the highest quality products: its world-renowned emeralds.
“The health and safety of our employees, protecting the natural environment and providing quality products are of great importance in our everyday work life as we conduct our business. They are core items of business integrity and ethics,” said Kagem government representative director on the Board, Boniface Mutale.
During the certification ceremony at the Kagem site, renowned Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) services firm Bureau Veritas, who have been in this business since 1828, observed that the Lufwanyama-based mine had over the years optimised its operations and made them efficient.
“Kagem is demonstrating to Zambia and the world at large that it cares about the environment. The company does not just extract the mineral reserves but also leaves the environment in such a manner that it can be used by generations to come,” noted Bureau Veritas Certification Manager, Elias Mwale.
Kagem General Manager, Sanjeev Kumar commented “Business practices nowadays call for environmental protection, social responsibility, and good governance. Kagem management realises that it has a moral, ethical, and legal obligation to the environment, its employees, and the community it operates within.”
“The certificates were achieved by the efforts of our in-house team rather than an engaged consultancy, demonstrating the strength of Kagem’s in-house expertise,” added Sanjeev Kumar.
The International Standards Organisations (ISO) is the highest world standards body that provides a wide array of internationally recognised standards that companies should meet.
Maintaining high quality levels and consistency is essential in achieving the best standards in mining operations and in the continued effort to be a leading example within the coloured gemstone sector across health, safety, environment and quality, Kagem always strives to follow and be compliant with international standards.
Credit: Langmead & Baker Ltd
